Herbarium JCB

Cassia auriculata L.

Family : FABACEAE
(PEA OR BEAN FAMILY)
Family (as per The Plant List) : Leguminosae
Subfamily : Caesalpinioideae
Species : Cassia auriculata
Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Senna auriculata (L.) Roxb.
Common name : Tanner's Cassia, Eared Senna
Vernacular name : Tarwar (Hin.); Olle thangadi, Honambre gida (Tel.); Aavarai, Avaram (Tam.); Nelatangedu, Kondatangedu, Thangedu (Tel.); Aavartaki (San.)
Key identification features : A moderate size shrub, mostly colourful when in flower. Leaves are pinnately compound with glands opposite to leaflets. Stipules are leaf-like and persistent. Flowers (3-3.5 cm across) in corymbose racemes and are golden yellow in colour. Fruit is a pod, long and dehiscent. This plant is found in highly disturbed areas and in dry places.
Habit : Shrub
Flower, Fruit : Throughout the Year
Comments : In plains to 800 m. Widely distributed even in poor soils. The bark is one of the source of Tannin dye.
Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
Distribution Locality : Tamil Nadu State; Pinjara Hills (East Godavari district), Korada R.F. (Srikakulam district), Kadapa district, Chelama R.F. (Kurnool district), Prakasham district (Andhra Pradesh State); Ganjam district (Odisha State)
World Distribution : India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar; Cultivated in other tropics
Literature : Pullaiah et al., 2001 - Flora of Eastern Ghats Vol. 2; J.L.Ellis, 1987- Flora of Nallamalais Vol. 1; H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1994- Flora of Orissa Vol. 1 ; R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District; Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (1). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983.
Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Arun Singh R., Deepak Kumar, Raja K Swamy and Navendu Page (2016). Digital Flora of Eastern Ghats. http://easternghats.ces.iisc.ernet.in/plants.php?name=Cassia auriculata. Downloaded on 2 April 2025.